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Topic: mast bend |
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John |
Posted: 26-Apr-06 21:24 |
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my mast is slightly bent but when i hoist the main i get an evan bigger bend. is this right or is something set wrong, e.g spreaders.the mast rake and rig tension are set to 7.3m. and 300 lbs. any ideas please. |
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tasarhans |
Posted: 26-Apr-06 21:56 |
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sidestays same length???
shrouds of uneven length make a nice curve...
otherwise bend it back... put both ends of the mast on two tables put weight on the heart of the curve short pushes.
Hans
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Bob Ladell |
Posted: 26-Apr-06 22:08 |
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Depends what you mean by bent. Sideways or front to back ??
Sideways - as Hans says - adjust shroud pin hole and mast gate packing to suit. You should be able get dead straight sideways - or near as damn it.
Front / back. Depends a bit on definition of bent. If the whole thing is Robin Hoods bow fron foot to tip in a nice even curve then probably needs some spreader adjustment ( forwards ) and tweak the rest to your liking with the swatcher.
If it bends from a give point e.g. shroud top fixings to tip then maybe it has been stuck in the putty and got a kink in it. Check the track along it's length. If it widens out somewhere then it's got a bend and you either live with it or see about replacement. Having said that there is a technique to strighten that sort of a kink so long as it isn't too serious. Needs care and patience.
With the basic settings you should be able to put the main halyard in the track at the goose neck and see it about parallel all the way to the tip. Remember that the mail sail cut plus halyard tension does tend to put a curve in the mast when static - so check with jib only hoisted.
Visit to one of Pete's magic training sessions - or an event - will get you rapid confirmation. |
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John |
Posted: 26-Apr-06 22:26 |
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the mast is straight sideways but bends from about halfway with the jib only. it bends like a banana when you hoist the main.
should the spreaders be forward. mine are slightly aft of the mast? |
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Colin Snook |
Posted: 26-Apr-06 23:22 |
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I sometimes (usually when the boat hasn't been used for a while) get this due to the sail sticking in the track so that excessive halyard tension acts like downhaul. (recently it got to the point where I could only get the sail up by standing on the halyard). Cleaning the track and spraying the bolt rope with silicon solved it. I also fitted a new sail feeder.
Could it be this?
Colin |
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Bob Ladell |
Posted: 28-Apr-06 00:04 |
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Difficult to tell any more without seeing it. Check the track width and if that's parallel then try spreaders forwards one bolt hole. See how it goes from there.
Best bet is to get to Brightlingsea and have a few people take a look. |
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John |
Posted: 02-May-06 08:37 |
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Thanks for the advice.
the mast is bent from the spreaders i have moved the spreaders forward and this has corrected it slightly .there is a kink in it so i will have to just put up with it. Will this affect the performance of the boat? I have used all the tech. tips of the website but we tend to lose against some slower boats up the beat.
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Pete Lindley |
Posted: 02-May-06 09:00 |
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If you have done all of the tuning tips on the site and you are still losing up the beat, I can only think it must be down to technique now. When you come to the nationals at the end of the month John, get your pro-am partner (this will be decided after day one of racing) to have a scan over the boat.
Pete |
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Lloyd Walker |
Posted: 03-May-06 10:51 |
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Hi John. Yes the bend in the mast will affect performance. You will not be able to get enough leach tension on the main this will prevent you from pointing. You can pull on more kicker but this will probabaly bend the mast more creating a vicious circle. Best bet is to try and straighten the mast. I have done this succesfully in the past. Bend the mast against a solid object with a sand bag or similar on the fulcrum. It takes at least two people as the mast tries to turn sideways. Take it a little bit at a time but dont be to afraid it takes a lot of preasure. The main thing is not to put a kink in it or a dent so keep checking the affect you are having by looking at the fulcum (for dents) and down the mast for straightness. The weight of the mast itself does put a gentle curve in the mast so dont expect it to be totaly straight when you look along it. Good luck! |
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John |
Posted: 12-May-06 17:20 |
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I have moved the spreaders forward and this has taken a lot of the bend out of the mast.Does the tightness of the battons affect the bend in the mast? if so how tight do thy need to be, |
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Pete Lindley |
Posted: 13-May-06 12:35 |
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Batten tension - just snugged up to remove most of the creases. Any tighter then it makes it difficult to pop them after a tack / gybe.
The batten tension won't effect the mast bend, it will predominently effect the fullness of the mainsail. The swatcher, rake, rig tension, spreader angle will all effect the bend.
Pete |
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graham_737 |
Posted: 13-May-06 13:39 |
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Why aren't you at Brightlingsea Pete? I suppose some of us have work to do right?!
[Edited by graham_737 on 13-May-06 13:45] |
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Pete Lindley |
Posted: 13-May-06 17:48 |
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Unfortunately as a consequence of running some training for the Buzz fleet at Oxford last weekend, I have picked up an ear infection - it has lasted 4 days so far and still it kills!
Also I am working tonight (Sat night) as well as Sunday night.
I could have requested the weekend off ages ago, but at present, negotiations are taking place to enable me to get the nationals off - currently I am being rostered to work the Sat, sun and mon night shifts at London Bridge.
Reality of not being able to sail every weekend when I want to, has set in and is hurting very very badly! |
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